I Asked My Girlfriend to Stop Eating So Much at My Grandma’s House

Being patient and understanding is one of the key components to having a happy relationship. A lot of experts believe prioritizing your partner is essential as well. However, as much as we might love our boyfriend or girlfriend, it can be next to impossible to turn a blind eye to some things they do.

One of our Bright Side readers sent us an e-mail explaining that he’s at a crossroads and has no idea what step to take next. We’re here to help him find a way out of this tricky situation, and we hope he’ll be able to resolve it soon.

Hi, Jeremy! Thank you for reaching out to us, we at Bright Side got together to come up with the best solutions to your problem.

• Explain to your girlfriend that you don’t mean to limit or offend her in any way. Let her know that what you’re telling her has nothing to do with your perception of how she looks. Show Jenna that you still love her, no matter how much she eats. Be honest that your concern is your grandma’s financial situation, not Jenna’s eating habits, and you don’t want your grandma to starve after each visit.

• Try to suggest new ways of preparing dinner for the family. Your grandmother can cook cheaper meals that are just as delicious. Since she’s a proud woman, don’t tell her to buy less expensive food. Instead, go about it in a more evasive way and just tell her you’d love to try a particular dish (that doesn’t require expensive ingredients).

• Ask your grandmother to serve smaller portions. Again, make sure you don’t come off too harsh. Tell her she doesn’t have to cook tons of food for just 3 people. As an alternative, offer her to cook a bit of everything, but in small quantities.

• Bring groceries to your grandmother and ask her for help, pretending you don’t know how to cook them. Don’t forget to praise her cooking skills while “learning” how to make tasty dishes. For one thing, she’ll be less tired afterward, and for another, maybe you’ll even bond better with her and, at some point, let her in on the story.

• Explain to your girlfriend that it takes 2 to have a good relationship. Politely tell Jenna how much your granny cares about family dinners and ask her to have some sympathy for the old lady. If she agrees to compromise, great! If not, then it’s likely she will refuse to be considerate about other issues that might arise, so the relationship won’t last long.

Maintaining a strong relationship is definitely no picnic, especially in Jeremy’s situation. We hope he and his girlfriend will see eye to eye soon, and dinners at his granny’s will be fun and peaceful. What would you do if you were in Jeremy’s shoes?

Looking at things from a different perspective can really turn a situation around. That’s why you shouldn’t hesitate to contact us if you’re going through a rough patch in some area of your life. Drop us a letter, and we’ll gladly give you a helping hand.